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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
July 5, 2007     Shelton Mason County Journal
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July 5, 2007
 
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SHELTON- MASON COUNTY JqC)URNAL Thursday, July 5, 2007 121st Year -- Number 27 5 Sections -- 42 Pages Published in Shelton, Washington 75 cents " ++, Senate Settles on Ben for judge By JEFF GREEN After months of waiting, Shel- ton lawyer Ben Settle's confirma- tion as a federal judge was ap- proved unanimously last Thurs- day afternoon by the U.S. Senate. The vote was 99-0 in favor of Settle's confirmation, with one senator, Tim Johnson, D-South Dakota, not voting. Last November, Settle was nominated by President George W. Bush for a U.S. District Court judgeship in Tacoma. In March, the longtime Shelton lawyer was in Washington, D.C., for a hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, part of the pro- cess judicial nominees must go through. Settle and two other federal ju- dicial nominees were questioned by Senator Richard Durbin, D-Il- linois, during a hearing that last- ed 45 minutes. Since that hear- ing, the other two nominees were confirmed, but there was no word on Settle's confirmation until last Thursday's Senate vote. PRESIDENT BUSH on Mon- day signed Settle's commission and Settle will take the oath of office next Monday, July 9, in Ta- coma. The position is a lifetime appointment. Settle has been a lawyer in Shelton for the past 29 years, spe- cializing in municipal and corpo- rate law, but also handling estates and wills for private clients. He and his partner Rob John- son represent Mason General Hospital, Shelton School Board, PUDs 1 and 3 and Mason Transit Authority. Until a few years ago, Settle was also the city attorney for Shelton, advising the Shelton City Commission and city offi- cials. Settle was born in 1947 in Olympia and graduated from Olympia High School in 1965. He then graduated from Claremont- McKenna College in Southern Cal- ifornia, with a bachelor's degree in American literature. He got his law degree from Willamette Uni- versity in Salem, Oregon. SETTLE WAS in the Reserve Officer Training Corps in college and served in the Army near the end of the Vietnam War era. He was in the Judge Advocate Gen- eral Corps and worked cases as a prosecutor and criminal defense attorney. He came to Shelton in 1977 to become a partner with Frank Heuston, who has since retired. Settle and his wife, Lynn, have five grown children and two grandchildren. Drags redux STARTING-LINE ANTICS notwithstand- ing (inset), there'll be nothing the least bit last-ditch or impromptu this week- end when the Shelton Drag Strip Asso- ciation reprises last summer's 40th-year renewal of the motor sport for which this milltown once was nationally fa- mous. First of successive weekends of SDSA action at Sanderson Field, the ex- travaganza starts with the public's open "Five-Buck Friday" - when your mom- ma can put her station wagon through the quartermile just like the top fuelers if she wants to - and then gives way to Sixties' "nostalgia" dragsters Saturday and Sunday along with the usual car- show and various vendor attractions that helped bring close to ten thousand folks through the gates for last sum- mer's inaugural. Checking out the com- puters in the SDSA's brand-new track- side tower, above, are president Dave Gunter and founding member Peggy Zamzow. Clowning below them on the starting grid? Why, executive director Rahn Redman, of course. Man accused of firing shot at deputies in long standoff A 34-year-old Shelton ma was arrested Monday night air re- portedly firing at least one shot in the direction of sheriffs deputies. Following a tense, five-hour Standoff in the Kamilche area, Jess Daniel Brown field was booked into Mason County Jail for investigation of attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and outstanding war- rants. Bail was set at $500,000 and arraignment scheduled for July 16. The sheriffs office reported that at about 11:30 p.m. deputies Were notified by family members that Brownfield was threatening to shoot and kill them. Deputies responded to the Kamilche area residence and reported at least three shots were fired by Brown- field from inside the home. One shot Was fired where deputies had been Standing when they ordered him out of the residence. The sheriffs office Special Emergency Response Team re- sponded to the scene as Brown- field barricaded himself in the residence, a press release from the sheriffs office noted. He re- mained behind the barricade de- spite several attempts by deputies to establish contact with him. Deputies fired tear gas rounds into the residence and caused the suspect to come out. At first, deputies thought he was trying to surrender until he went back into the residence and armed himself with a shotgun. When he reemerged from the house with a gun in hand, depu- ties took him into custody by us- ing a taser. A total of 16 lawmen, including sheriffs deputies and Squaxin Island tribal police of- ricers were involved. No one was injured during the incident. Brownfield appeared Tuesday in Mason County Superior Court. He was identified in an investiga- tion of attempted murder in the first degree, assault in the first degree, unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree and felony harassment. The harass- ment is charged as domestic vio- lence against Brownfield's family members. Judge Toni Sheldon said he qualifies for court-appointed coun- sel. In setting the bail amount she noted concerns about safety to the community, outstanding warrants and a prior conviction for third- degree assault. Sheldon ordered Brownfield to have no contact with his mother Sally Brownfield, his brother Toby Brownfield, po- tential witnesses Marc Junes and Torrie Dunn or the residence at 4469 SE Bloomfield Road. Vandalism suspects charged tiy lVlARy DUNCAN Cole Walker Babbitt, 18, of in May and the commons area at L An 18-year-old Eagle Scout has ?:en charged with rive felony of- .ases in three separate vandal- Ixs.!ncidents on property of the • ,orth Mason School District and  18-year.old codefendant in one i ° the incidents obtained special ernission to travel east of the "aOUntains to attend Washington State University. 5741 East Grapeview Loop Road, Allyn, entered not-guilty pleas on Friday, June 29, in Mason Coun- ty Superior Court to the follow- ing charges: arson in the second degree for allegedly burning the shape of a penis into the athlet- ic field on June 1; two counts of malicious mischief in the first de- gree for damage to school buses the high school on June 14; and two counts of burglary in the sec- ond degree for breaking into the facilities. Babbitt, who graduated from North Mason High School in June, is scheduled for an omni- bus hearing on July 30, a pretrial hearing on August 27 and trial (Please turn to page 11.) City acts to raze derelict building By JEFF GREEN The Parkview Manor apart- ment building, a local eyesore in downtown Shelton since it was gutted by fire, appears headed for the trash bin of local history. Shelton city commissioners Monday night approved a staff request to direct the city attorney to send a notice to the building's owner to remove the building. If necessary, the attorney can file a complaint in superior court seek- ing elimination of it as a "public nuisance." In May of 1999 after tenants complained about illegal wiring, the city's code enforcement of- ricer moved to condemn it. Later that month, city and state officials closed down the building after de- ciding it wasn't safe. The fire in September 2000 de- stroyed its roof and interior. Since then, the building has languished, with boards covering most lower floor windows and blue tarps on the second floor flapping in the wind. "THE TARPS covering the ex- posed roof degraded over time and were never replaced. This has re- sulted in long-term elemental ex- posure and further degradation of the structure," noted a letter to the owner from the city's code enforce- ment officer dated last September 12. The upper level of the building (Please turn to page 9.) Hoodsport fest offers fireworks By DONA C. MARTINSEN Hoodsport residents are busy getting ready for Celebrate Hoods- port with a street fair, wine tast- ing, music, dancing, a raffle and a fireworks display at 10 p.m. on Saturday. On July 6, 7 and 8 the Hoods- port Community Events Associa- tion will be bringing the festival to Hoodsport for the 22nd year. Co- ordinator Frank Benavente said the event benefits local merchants and residents. The budget for 2007 is over $17,000 with funds coming from booth rentals, T-shirts, a raf- fle, donations, an auction and lodg- ing tax from Mason County. Besides funds being spent on the fireworks, there is insurance, transportation, traffic police, ad- vertising, trash and seven portable toilets. The Hoodsport Community Events Association is a nonprofit organization which brings us the Hood Canal Chum Derby, Hoods- port Christmas Lighting, and the Hood Canal Oyster Bite & Tour of Lodging. This weekend will see chefs of the Hoodsport Kiwanis putting on a pancake breakfast on Saturday, July 7, from 7 to 11 a.m. The pan- cakes are being served in the West Coast Bank parking lot. Mason Transit will run a shut- tle bus from 2 to 11 p.m. on Satur- day, with stops at Kneeland Plaza in Shelton, Twin Totems on the Skokomish Reservation, Minerva Beach Resort, Glen Aire Resort, The Tides Restaurant and the Lake Cushman Maintenance Com- pany. Saturday's schedule of events in- cludes a book sale at the Hoodsport Library, music by the Lost Arrow Band throughout the day and a street dance starting at 5 p.m. Parties to celebrate shellfish agreement By SEAN HANLON Depending on when you start counting, tomorrow's gathering to celebrate the settlement of shell- fish rights has been years or de- cades or a century in the making. The list of prospective visitors to Little Skookum Shellfish in Shelton includes Governor Chris- tine Gregoire, Billy Franks Jr. of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and Congressman Norm Dicks. Jim Peters of the Squaxin Island Tribe is planning to attend, as are Bill Taylor of Taylor Shellfish in Shelton and Doug Sutherland, the state lands commissioner. They are assembling to witness the sealing of a deal setting up a $33-million trust fund that will be dedicated to enhancing shellfish on tidelands controlled by Indian tribes in this part of the state. The pact resolves a 1994 court ruling by Judge Edward Rafeedie who upheld in U.S. District Court the treaty rights of the Skokomish, the Squaxin Island and 15 other tribes to half of the harvestable shellfish in this part of the state. Parties to the agreement say it preserves the health of the shell- fish industry, recognizes the im- portance to the tribes of the shell- fish harvest rights and provides greater shellfish harvest opportu- (Please turn to page 11.) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlUl On the inside Births .................................. 18 Classifieds ........................... 30 Community Calendar ....... 14 Crossword ........................... 37 Entertainment, Dining ..... 28 Health Journal ................. 18 Journal of Record ............. 25 Obituaries ........................... 10 Opinions, Letters ................. 4 Sports ................................... 21 Tides ..................................... 27 Weather ................................ 10 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIUlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlUlUlIIIIIlUlIIIIIIlU o1111!1!!1!!111!1!!!1!1!11111+ SHELTON- MASON COUNTY JqC)URNAL Thursday, July 5, 2007 121st Year -- Number 27 5 Sections -- 42 Pages Published in Shelton, Washington 75 cents " ++, Senate Settles on Ben for judge By JEFF GREEN After months of waiting, Shel- ton lawyer Ben Settle's confirma- tion as a federal judge was ap- proved unanimously last Thurs- day afternoon by the U.S. Senate. The vote was 99-0 in favor of Settle's confirmation, with one senator, Tim Johnson, D-South Dakota, not voting. Last November, Settle was nominated by President George W. Bush for a U.S. District Court judgeship in Tacoma. In March, the longtime Shelton lawyer was in Washington, D.C., for a hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, part of the pro- cess judicial nominees must go through. Settle and two other federal ju- dicial nominees were questioned by Senator Richard Durbin, D-Il- linois, during a hearing that last- ed 45 minutes. Since that hear- ing, the other two nominees were confirmed, but there was no word on Settle's confirmation until last Thursday's Senate vote. PRESIDENT BUSH on Mon- day signed Settle's commission and Settle will take the oath of office next Monday, July 9, in Ta- coma. The position is a lifetime appointment. Settle has been a lawyer in Shelton for the past 29 years, spe- cializing in municipal and corpo- rate law, but also handling estates and wills for private clients. He and his partner Rob John- son represent Mason General Hospital, Shelton School Board, PUDs 1 and 3 and Mason Transit Authority. Until a few years ago, Settle was also the city attorney for Shelton, advising the Shelton City Commission and city offi- cials. Settle was born in 1947 in Olympia and graduated from Olympia High School in 1965. He then graduated from Claremont- McKenna College in Southern Cal- ifornia, with a bachelor's degree in American literature. He got his law degree from Willamette Uni- versity in Salem, Oregon. SETTLE WAS in the Reserve Officer Training Corps in college and served in the Army near the end of the Vietnam War era. He was in the Judge Advocate Gen- eral Corps and worked cases as a prosecutor and criminal defense attorney. He came to Shelton in 1977 to become a partner with Frank Heuston, who has since retired. Settle and his wife, Lynn, have five grown children and two grandchildren. Drags redux STARTING-LINE ANTICS notwithstand- ing (inset), there'll be nothing the least bit last-ditch or impromptu this week- end when the Shelton Drag Strip Asso- ciation reprises last summer's 40th-year renewal of the motor sport for which this milltown once was nationally fa- mous. First of successive weekends of SDSA action at Sanderson Field, the ex- travaganza starts with the public's open "Five-Buck Friday" - when your mom- ma can put her station wagon through the quartermile just like the top fuelers if she wants to - and then gives way to Sixties' "nostalgia" dragsters Saturday and Sunday along with the usual car- show and various vendor attractions that helped bring close to ten thousand folks through the gates for last sum- mer's inaugural. Checking out the com- puters in the SDSA's brand-new track- side tower, above, are president Dave Gunter and founding member Peggy Zamzow. Clowning below them on the starting grid? Why, executive director Rahn Redman, of course. Man accused of firing shot at deputies in long standoff A 34-year-old Shelton ma was arrested Monday night air re- portedly firing at least one shot in the direction of sheriffs deputies. Following a tense, five-hour Standoff in the Kamilche area, Jess Daniel Brown field was booked into Mason County Jail for investigation of attempted murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and outstanding war- rants. Bail was set at $500,000 and arraignment scheduled for July 16. The sheriffs office reported that at about 11:30 p.m. deputies Were notified by family members that Brownfield was threatening to shoot and kill them. Deputies responded to the Kamilche area residence and reported at least three shots were fired by Brown- field from inside the home. One shot Was fired where deputies had been Standing when they ordered him out of the residence. The sheriffs office Special Emergency Response Team re- sponded to the scene as Brown- field barricaded himself in the residence, a press release from the sheriffs office noted. He re- mained behind the barricade de- spite several attempts by deputies to establish contact with him. Deputies fired tear gas rounds into the residence and caused the suspect to come out. At first, deputies thought he was trying to surrender until he went back into the residence and armed himself with a shotgun. When he reemerged from the house with a gun in hand, depu- ties took him into custody by us- ing a taser. A total of 16 lawmen, including sheriffs deputies and Squaxin Island tribal police of- ricers were involved. No one was injured during the incident. Brownfield appeared Tuesday in Mason County Superior Court. He was identified in an investiga- tion of attempted murder in the first degree, assault in the first degree, unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree and felony harassment. The harass- ment is charged as domestic vio- lence against Brownfield's family members. Judge Toni Sheldon said he qualifies for court-appointed coun- sel. In setting the bail amount she noted concerns about safety to the community, outstanding warrants and a prior conviction for third- degree assault. Sheldon ordered Brownfield to have no contact with his mother Sally Brownfield, his brother Toby Brownfield, po- tential witnesses Marc Junes and Torrie Dunn or the residence at 4469 SE Bloomfield Road. Vandalism suspects charged tiy lVlARy DUNCAN Cole Walker Babbitt, 18, of in May and the commons area at L An 18-year-old Eagle Scout has ?:en charged with rive felony of- .ases in three separate vandal- Ixs.!ncidents on property of the • ,orth Mason School District and  18-year.old codefendant in one i ° the incidents obtained special ernission to travel east of the "aOUntains to attend Washington State University. 5741 East Grapeview Loop Road, Allyn, entered not-guilty pleas on Friday, June 29, in Mason Coun- ty Superior Court to the follow- ing charges: arson in the second degree for allegedly burning the shape of a penis into the athlet- ic field on June 1; two counts of malicious mischief in the first de- gree for damage to school buses the high school on June 14; and two counts of burglary in the sec- ond degree for breaking into the facilities. Babbitt, who graduated from North Mason High School in June, is scheduled for an omni- bus hearing on July 30, a pretrial hearing on August 27 and trial (Please turn to page 11.) City acts to raze derelict building By JEFF GREEN The Parkview Manor apart- ment building, a local eyesore in downtown Shelton since it was gutted by fire, appears headed for the trash bin of local history. Shelton city commissioners Monday night approved a staff request to direct the city attorney to send a notice to the building's owner to remove the building. If necessary, the attorney can file a complaint in superior court seek- ing elimination of it as a "public nuisance." In May of 1999 after tenants complained about illegal wiring, the city's code enforcement of- ricer moved to condemn it. Later that month, city and state officials closed down the building after de- ciding it wasn't safe. The fire in September 2000 de- stroyed its roof and interior. Since then, the building has languished, with boards covering most lower floor windows and blue tarps on the second floor flapping in the wind. "THE TARPS covering the ex- posed roof degraded over time and were never replaced. This has re- sulted in long-term elemental ex- posure and further degradation of the structure," noted a letter to the owner from the city's code enforce- ment officer dated last September 12. The upper level of the building (Please turn to page 9.) Hoodsport fest offers fireworks By DONA C. MARTINSEN Hoodsport residents are busy getting ready for Celebrate Hoods- port with a street fair, wine tast- ing, music, dancing, a raffle and a fireworks display at 10 p.m. on Saturday. On July 6, 7 and 8 the Hoods- port Community Events Associa- tion will be bringing the festival to Hoodsport for the 22nd year. Co- ordinator Frank Benavente said the event benefits local merchants and residents. The budget for 2007 is over $17,000 with funds coming from booth rentals, T-shirts, a raf- fle, donations, an auction and lodg- ing tax from Mason County. Besides funds being spent on the fireworks, there is insurance, transportation, traffic police, ad- vertising, trash and seven portable toilets. The Hoodsport Community Events Association is a nonprofit organization which brings us the Hood Canal Chum Derby, Hoods- port Christmas Lighting, and the Hood Canal Oyster Bite & Tour of Lodging. This weekend will see chefs of the Hoodsport Kiwanis putting on a pancake breakfast on Saturday, July 7, from 7 to 11 a.m. The pan- cakes are being served in the West Coast Bank parking lot. Mason Transit will run a shut- tle bus from 2 to 11 p.m. on Satur- day, with stops at Kneeland Plaza in Shelton, Twin Totems on the Skokomish Reservation, Minerva Beach Resort, Glen Aire Resort, The Tides Restaurant and the Lake Cushman Maintenance Com- pany. Saturday's schedule of events in- cludes a book sale at the Hoodsport Library, music by the Lost Arrow Band throughout the day and a street dance starting at 5 p.m. Parties to celebrate shellfish agreement By SEAN HANLON Depending on when you start counting, tomorrow's gathering to celebrate the settlement of shell- fish rights has been years or de- cades or a century in the making. The list of prospective visitors to Little Skookum Shellfish in Shelton includes Governor Chris- tine Gregoire, Billy Franks Jr. of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and Congressman Norm Dicks. Jim Peters of the Squaxin Island Tribe is planning to attend, as are Bill Taylor of Taylor Shellfish in Shelton and Doug Sutherland, the state lands commissioner. They are assembling to witness the sealing of a deal setting up a $33-million trust fund that will be dedicated to enhancing shellfish on tidelands controlled by Indian tribes in this part of the state. The pact resolves a 1994 court ruling by Judge Edward Rafeedie who upheld in U.S. District Court the treaty rights of the Skokomish, the Squaxin Island and 15 other tribes to half of the harvestable shellfish in this part of the state. Parties to the agreement say it preserves the health of the shell- fish industry, recognizes the im- portance to the tribes of the shell- fish harvest rights and provides greater shellfish harvest opportu- (Please turn to page 11.) IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlUl On the inside Births .................................. 18 Classifieds ........................... 30 Community Calendar ....... 14 Crossword ........................... 37 Entertainment, Dining ..... 28 Health Journal ................. 18 Journal of Record ............. 25 Obituaries ........................... 10 Opinions, Letters ................. 4 Sports ................................... 21 Tides ..................................... 27 Weather ................................ 10 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIUlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlUlUlIIIIIlUlIIIIIIlU o1111!1!!1!!111!1!!!1!1!11111+